The Lament of the Idiot
by Girlblunder
Summary: SwanQueen. Post S3, sans any hints of Frozen. Random one-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: I don't own OUaT or its characters.

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><p>The day was cold and gray, the lack of sunlight contributing to the unerring frigidity that seeped past flesh to settle deep into bone. Storybrooke looked normal and unchanged even though it had seen many changes in the last year.<p>

Regina felt numb as she walked distractedly down the sidewalk. She was physically warm enough bundled into her favorite black trench coat and high boots. The lack of feeling had much to do with the whirlwind events of the last few weeks.

A hint of a smile curled at one corner of her lips as she passed by some townsfolk who shot her worried glances and muttered nervously under their breaths.

Her lack of a public reaction to anything was scaring the rabble more than any of her old threats used to, and she couldn't help but be a little amused at the fact. She had long ago accepted that changes she had enacted and was still undergoing would never completely dispel the distrust decades of her vengeance had wrought. The peasants didn't bother her.

These days, it was only the family of Royal Idiots that had any effect on her.

It was an odd sort of existence that she'd come to. She and Snow had bonded over the unborn Neal, and ironically the woman was now one of her greatest sources of comfort; almost as much as the woman's daughter was one of her greatest sources of pain.

A subtle grimace flitted over her features at the thought.

She and Snow received peculiar looks at their irreverent almost-friendship, but neither woman cared if people talked about the odd relationship.

A real smile flashed on her face as she thought of their first public acknowledgment of each other. Regina had brought Snow a variety of baked goods stuffed with apples from her tree, and despite the gasps of horror from the people in the diner, her former step-daughter had taken a hearty bite of an apple turnover. Snow had made a dramatic show of choking, then proclaiming the pastry to be delicious.

Regina had been a little concerned that Snow was becoming one of her favorite people in the small town, but after a little thinking had just shrugged it off. Regina was done letting fate or destiny or whatever decide who she was, and by extension, who she could be friendly with. Perhaps they weren't exactly friends, but it was definitely leaps and bounds from the enmity they'd shared for such a long time.

"Regina?" the tentative voice to her right inspired a sour taste in her mouth, and she frowned.

She didn't look in the direction of the voice, her dark umber gaze unwavering from a point in the distance straight ahead. "Not now Miss Swan."

Emma scowled, turning to walk alongside the stubborn woman. "You can't avoid me forever."

"No, you've made that incredibly clear." She spared a glance at the blonde familiarly attired in her worn red leather jacket, jeans, and tall boots. "It seems that you're picking up some habits from Captain-No-Means-Yes."

Emma let out a frustrated growl, her teeth clenching at the quip. "That's uncalled for."

Regina stopped, raising a hand so that her index finger could tap against her chin thoughtfully. "How many times did you reject him before he finally managed to get you to swallow enough rum to stomach the smell of his centuries-old leathers? I assure you, such tactics won't work on me, dear." Her walk resumed, and it took the red-coated woman a moment to realize she'd started moving again.

The blonde lengthened her stride to catch up to Regina again. "We have to talk."

"No, we don't. You _want_ to talk. I want to walk and enjoy this beautiful day." Regina extended her arms to encompass the space around her, her black leather gloves creaking as she softly wiggled her fingers.

"Regina, this is miserable weather." Emma's tone was skeptical as she regarded the older woman with some exasperation, her hands nervously tucked into her back pockets.

"You must get your ability to state the obvious from your father. I'm now completely certain it's genetic. Hopefully nurture will count for something with Henry."

"Fine. You don't want to talk in private? I'll do this right here." They both halted at Emma's words, Regina shooting an incredulous look at her unwanted company.

"Don't you dare!" Regina's voice was a hiss as her eyes gleamed a dangerous warning at Emma.

"It was just _one_ stupid kiss, not the end of the world!" came the loud retort.

Regina stiffened, one hand coming to rest protectively low on her abdomen, the other clenching tightly at her side. Her chest heaved as she struggled to maintain her breathing. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," she cursed internally at her inability to keep her voice from wavering at the end.

Emma stepped up in front of Regina, disregarding the woman's personal space. "I won't bother responding to that, because we both know the truth." Her eyes settled on Regina's full lips. "It meant something, Regina."

Regina snorted, a derisive look growing on her face. "Oh, it did?" She tilted her head, eyes half lidded as she shared a vindictive smile. "So, tell me Emma - where did you go after the kiss?"

Emma faltered, shifting anxiously and biting her lip. She swallowed hard, not wanting to answer the question.

The dark-haired woman sighed. A small part of her had hoped she was wrong, but she sadly knew Emma very well.

"I would rather be alone than play second fiddle to a one-handed-miscreant more likely to fall into the ocean than bathe willingly."

Before Emma could respond, Regina vanished in a dramatic whorl of purple smoke.

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><p>Emma eyed Regina across the diner, the red plastic cup in her hand half empty from her distracted swallows.<p>

"Emma, love, don't worry about her. Sometimes it's best to just leave things be for a spell." Hook's low, smooth voice intoned in the hopes of getting his date to focus on him.

She grimaced at the words, not wanting to verbally admit all of Hook's Dr. Phil moments were starting to grate on her nerves. She's not sure when the outspoken pirate had become a wanna-be Archie, but his overly attentive focus had begun to make her feel stifled almost immediately after they'd started dating.

Her hand clenched around her cup reflexively, and she raised it to swallow another generous mouthful when Regina laughed softly at something Tinker Bell said.

She hadn't witnessed Regina be genuinely happy in far too long. Even now, the laughter she'd witnessed was subdued and practiced. She yearned quietly for those few precious moments she'd seen Regina express authentic joy.

Emma's mind thought back to their joint efforts against Zelena, and she smiled. Another memory flitted through her mind, and she tried not to scowl at the day Regina had met up with her and her parents and she'd realized the glow in Regina's cheeks had been because of _Robin Hood_.

That day had largely influenced her impulsive mood when she and Hook had returned from the past. She'd enjoyed the kiss somewhat, though she was mostly tired of being alone. Being with Hook was an easy option.

If she hadn't given in to the easy thing, perhaps something she'd wanted more would have been a real option now.

She hadn't known who Marian was, and she didn't enjoy bringing Regina pain, but that didn't change the fact that a little part of her had rejoiced at the fact that Regina wouldn't be with Robin any longer.

Emma held the cup up to her lips, the plastic brushing softly against her mouth. It had taken weeks to get Regina to truly speak to her again, and then a few days ago she'd ruined it by kissing the brunette impulsively to get the woman to shut up.

Her pulse raced at the memory even as Hook tightened his arm around her.

Fear held her in place. Hook was safe, he cared about her. Regina had always been an unknown. She could be a semblance of happy with the pirate.

As she drank the last of her fourth rum and coke Hook had helpfully supplied, another impulse vibrated in her veins. It was a powerful feeling, and usually she didn't resist such strong ones. She'd survived as long as she had by trusting her instincts. She swallowed hard as fear fought with the impulse.

"Screw it," she mumbled fiercely, smacking the hand holding her empty cup into Hook's chest. The man fumbled automatically, taking the cup and watching Emma stalk off with some confusion marring his features.

She strode quickly across the diner. The festive atmosphere of the harvest festival emboldened her, and she ignored the speculative muttering as people noticed her trajectory.

Emma stopped in front of Regina, swaying only slightly in place. Her eyes seemed astonishingly sober despite the alcohol she'd consumed.

Regina sighed and rolled her eyes at the unwanted intrusion, "Miss Swan, I thought I made it—"

Emma pushed forward to press her lips sloppily against Regina's.

The brunette allowed the contact for a few moments before pushing the inebriated woman away. "You smell of rum and old leather." Her nose scrunched up attractively in distaste.

"I hate you so much. You're really pretty." Emma responded seriously.

"Emma," amusement colored the sultry voice, "You do realize you just kissed me in front of half the town, including your parents and boyfriend?"

Emma swept her gaze around the room, noting only half the people seemed to be paying them any attention. She nodded, "Your ex is here too, and he looks like a vein in his forehead is about to pop. He should probably try yoga or something."

Regina laughed, her earthen eyes sparkling in the dimmed lights they'd decided on for the party. "You're incredibly drunk."

"Yep. Pretty sure Killian has been only adding a splash of coke to those drinks. I bet he _really_ regrets that right now." Emma spared a glance to where she'd left her boyfriend. He was scowling darkly, his face flushed and her empty cup crushed completely in his one good hand.

"He looks displeased." Regina purred in delight. "Perhaps you should scurry on back to reassure his frail ego."

Emma shot the brunette a dark look, her viridian eyes narrowing. "Why would I do that?"

A dark brow arched at the question. "He's still the far easier route to take, dear. I'm not sure you can handle anything else."

Emma stepped closer still to Regina, their fronts pressed together. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

The brown eyes glinted at the familiarity, an old passion igniting in Regina. "Show me."

This time, Emma raised her hands to carefully cup at the soft face in front of her before she leaned in to tenderly kiss the woman in front of her. Despite the challenge Regina had issued, she wanted the other woman to know that this wasn't just some stupid response to a challenge. It meant something.

The kiss lasted longer than the previous one, and probably would have been even longer if a strong hand hadn't forcefully descended to roughly pull at Emma's shoulder to jerk her away from Regina.

"What the hell Swan!" Killian's angry voice cut through the drunken, lustful haze Emma had been in.

"What the what, Killian?" she responded in a daze, her eyes still focused on Regina's glistening red lips. They were just a little swollen from their ministrations, and she groaned internally when she glanced up and saw the desire pouring from the rich mahogany eyes.

"You're supposed to be with me!" He responded angrily. "I did everything for you!"

"No," she shook her head reflexively. "You did everything for _you_. Not one decision you've made has been for my sake; it's been so that you could get what you wanted. If you _really_ cared about me, you would have helped me without the unending pressure to just give in to you!"

"You're a runner, you avoid your feelings! It's what you do!" he exclaimed loudly, his arms waving wildly to emphasize his point.

"That's only _one_ part of me. Yeah, sometimes I run. I have a shitty history. You pursued me so you could feel good, not so I could. You say you love me, but I know bullshit when I hear it." Her words were sharp and angry, though her voice didn't elevate much beyond her normal speaking voice.

Regina cleared her throat loudly, a hand waving nonchalantly at the dueling couple. "Entertaining as this is, I don't believe I need to be present for this." Her lips were pursed as she eyed the couple with no small amount of antipathy.

She moved to step away, but Killian stopped her by sliding his hook swiftly around her arm. "The Evil Queen doesn't get to slip away from this delicate situation so easily."

The brunette glanced down to the gleaming metal, and a burst of laughter erupted from deep within her chest. Her eyes gleamed purple for a moment, and Killian squawked indignantly as his hook was replaced with a plush teddy bear.

"You know, Killian, it's really _bad form_ to keep pushing your presence on women that truly do not desire it." Her acerbic intonation left no room for misinterpretation.

Hook glowered at her word choice. "You say that, but between the two of us, who has Emma fucked?" He wore a triumphant sneer as he took in Regina's sharp inhalation.

His triumph lasted only a moment, a firm hand tapping at his shoulder. Killian wiped the expression from his face when he turned to find a furious Charming. "Ah, Charming y—"

James didn't let the man continue, his fist swiftly meeting the pirate's face with a loud thud. Hook fell to the ground and laid unmoving. "Don't you dare talk about my baby girl that way."

Emma wasn't sure if she should be annoyed or proud. She snickered a little as she noted the dark bruise forming to encompass most of her boyfriend's face. "I don't need you to fight my battles Dad, but that was pretty cool."

The blonde man straightened, giving his daughter a sheepish smile as he flexed his hand. "Sorry, I couldn't stand to hear him speak a moment longer."

Regina brought one hand to rub at her temple as father and daughter gave each other delighted smiles. "I'm living in a daytime talk show," she muttered under her breath.

Emma heard the quip, and turned bright viridian eyes to focus on the older woman. "And the test has revealed you are the father, Regina!"

She shot Emma a deadpan look, not appreciating the inebriated woman's sense of humor. "I think you've had enough to drink tonight." Regina regarded Emma a moment, before directing her attention to James. "You'll see her home, won't you?"

Charming nodded automatically, unsure how to interact with Regina in the uncomfortable situation.

"Excellent. I'm going to go home and forget as much of this night as possible." She raised a hand in a familiar gesture as she began to will herself home. A hand clasped firmly on her arm just before violet smoke encompassed her figure.

* * *

><p>Regina jerked her arm away from Emma's hand as the last of the vapor dissipated around them to reveal her bedroom. She sighed loudly at her predicament.<p>

"Why are you so committed to complicating my life and making me miserable?" The question was rhetorical, and she wasn't sure if she was addressing the universe or the drunken blonde specifically in that moment.

"Do I really make you miserable?" Emma responded, very certain the question had been directed at her.

Regina sighed again, her shoulders slumped in resignation as she felt the weight of watery emerald eyes and a quivering bottom lip.

"I won't answer that question right now as I don't think you're in the right mindset for a complicated answer," she finally managed to say diplomatically.

Emma's eyes and nose reddened as she tried to withhold tears. "I make you unhappy, even when I'm not trying to. I can't seem to do anything quite right when it comes to you."

Regina warred with herself for a few moments, tired but not wanting to leave the younger woman in an overly emotional state. "We'll figure things out eventually. It's impossible to have a perfect relationship. In reality, people hurt each other all the time intentionally and unintentionally. With time, I'm sure we'll be able to navigate our...circumstances."

She tugged gently at a flannel-clad arm, "Now, you're going to stay in the guest room tonight."

Emma smiled hesitantly, her eyes still watery though she seemed more hopeful than she had in days. "Thanks."

Regina didn't respond verbally, instead leading the former bounty hunter expeditiously to the guest room furthest down the hall. She was quick to pull back the covers and help a tipsy Emma out of her boots and vest.

As Emma swayed a little in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, she smiled at the domesticity of having Regina help her. "Talk to you in the morning?"

The brunette's lip twitched at the question, wanting to tell Emma a resounding no. Instead, she nodded jerkily. Avoiding the conversation would only delay the inevitable. Emma's stubbornness would only serve to frustrate Regina more in the long run.

Emma stumbled toward the bed, pressing a quick kiss to Regina's cheek before swiftly snuggling into the comfortable bed.

Regina brought her hand up to brush against the tingling spot on her cheek. She sighed for the umpteenth time as she regarded the already loudly snoring figure.

"Idiot," she murmured affectionately before she walked out of the room and quietly closed the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: I still don't own OUaT or its characters.

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><p>Emma shifted on the luxurious bed, groaning at the agony in her skull. She grimaced as she tugged at the fabric of her jeans, warm and uncomfortable in addition to the intense pain reverberating in her head.<p>

It took her a moment to realize that the luxury of the bed was completely alien, and she cautiously opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. Everything seemed muffled, and it took her more than a few minutes to remember everything that had happened the previous night.

She blushed as she relived all the things she could remember. She might have forgotten a few small things, but the main events were distinctive in her memory. A stab of sharp pain to her skull derailed her from the small panic attack that had been building, and her eyes watered involuntarily at the intensity.

Loud knocks on the door sent more spikes stabbing through her brain, and she clenched her jaw at the well of torment she found herself in.

The knocks ceased, and the door was opened a moment later to reveal an impeccably dressed Regina. The woman eyed the miserable expression on Emma's face without a hint of sympathy, and swiftly crossed to turn the chair facing the bureau to face the bed.

Regina sat primly, smoothing the fabric of her pencil skirt as she crossed her legs delicately. "Good morning Miss Swan," she spoke in her normal voice. She refused to coddle the blonde. Emma was an adult and was only suffering because of her own poor choices.

Emma winced, one hand reflexively coming up to rub at her temple. "Do you have to be so loud?"

The brunette didn't respond for a moment, lips twitching as she tried not let her pleasure at Emma's discomfort shine too brightly. "I'm hardly being loud, and even if I were; this is _my_ house Miss Swan. I shall do whatever I please in the privacy of my home."

There was a rustling of the sheets as Emma shifted in the bed uneasily. She decided to ignore the previous tangent of conversation. "Could I have some aspirin or something?"

"I'm sure you could," came the immediate response, deep earthen eyes regarding her sharply. "You _do_ have your magic back now after all. Help yourself." She gestured with one hand magnanimously as if she were at court on her throne instead of in her guest bedroom on a well-stuffed Bergère.

Emma growled in response, closing her eyes to try and meet the obvious challenge. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead at the intensity of her concentration, but the pain in her head was far too distracting. Tentatively she peeked at Regina to gauge the older woman's reaction to her lack of ability.

Regina had relaxed back into her chair, arms resting comfortably on the upholstered arm rests. She was smirking, and her eyes glinted with deep delight at Emma's frustration.

She let out a strangled groan at the sight of her obvious pleasure. "Just this once, could you please just _not_ do this?"

The brunette perked up these words, scooting forward in her chair to regard Emma coolly for a moment. "Oh, I'm sorry? Have I made you uncomfortable? Have I put you out?" her words seemed benign enough, but the delivery was acidic and biting.

Emma sighed, too tired and in pain to draw this out any longer. She flung an arm over her eyes, pressing her forearm down against her head to try and relieve some of the pain with a little pressure. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Regina waited, eyes half lidded and expression solemn.

Pale hands clenched as Emma argued with herself. She moved slowly, rolling over onto her side to face the brunette fully. "I'm an idiot," she conceded grumpily.

Viridian eyes absorbed the way Regina immediately relaxed, her shoulders shifting from their tense position. Emma licked her lips as the brunette uncrossed and crossed her legs again.

"Well at least we can agree on that," Regina finally uttered, a hint of warmth finally returning to her features.

A lightly tanned hand swept up, purple smoke dissipating to reveal two aspirin. Regina stood and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, her thumb brushing against the white pills.

Emma sat up carefully, her back resting against the smooth wood of the headboard. She reached out a pale hand hesitantly, a nervous smile twitching in the older woman's direction.

Regina deposited the aspirin easily into the extended palm, her hand waving again so that a tall glass of water was revealed next in a puff of violet smoke.

A happy smile grew on Emma's face as she popped the pills into her mouth and greedily accepted the water. She swallowed the cool liquid thirstily, head tilted back as she drained the glass.

"Thanks."

Regina tilted her head in recognition of the word, the dark locks of her hair brushing softly across her refined jaw.

The room was silent for a few heartbeats as both women considered the words that needed to be spoken.

"I take it you remember everything that happened last night, then?" Regina kept her tone neutral. Emma could still choose to feign a memory loss and keep the conversation at bay, but the brunette doubted the younger woman would choose to do so at this point.

A pink tongue poked out to sweep over dry lips. Emma palmed the glass she still held nervously, her eyes shifting to focus on the clear object. She was still thirsty, though she'd felt a little nauseated after drinking the water so swiftly before.

She focused on the glass for a moment, trying to distract herself. The object slowly filled halfway with more water. A triumphant smile sparked on her face, and she looked up at Regina gleefully.

Regina did her best not to laugh at the small effort, a half smile twitching her lips up pleasantly instead.

Emma squinted at her, easily reading the amusement. The next smile that grew on her face was in self deprecation, and she swallowed the newly refreshed contents of the glass. "Yeah, I'm sure I forgot some stuff about last night, but definitely not the important things."

She played with the glass and bit at her lip as she tried to figure out how to word things delicately.

A hand moved to stop the glass from being rolled back and forth, and she shot Regina a sheepish smile.

Regina shook her head and the glass was gone as quickly as it had originally appeared, no doubt tucked into the kitchen sink downstairs. She had grown far too impatient waiting for Emma to speak her mind.

"You wanted to talk, Emma. You should take advantage of this time before the moment passes," she cautioned. Though the previous night had encouraged her a little, she was also more than a little upset at Emma's lack of tact or regard for her personal feelings at the public display.

"Sorry, yeah. I did. I do," she corrected hurriedly, a hand reaching out to rest lightly on Regina's knee.

Regina inhaled sharply at the contact, but didn't shift from the connection. She nodded once in encouragement.

"I'm really selfish, and I really don't think things through very well. I tend to be pretty impulsive, and more than a few times those impulses haven't turned out so well." Her free hand rose to slide through her slightly tangled blonde locks. "I've made some bad decisions kinda recently."

A soft sigh sounded, and Emma looked up to see a resigned look on Regina's face.

Her eyes widened as she realized how her words sounded. "No! No, I'm not talking about last night. Although, yeah, okay I could have handled that better."

"You have no argument from me on that point." Regina's voice was wry, matching the awkward smile on her face perfectly.

Emma squeezed Regina's knee in response. "Regina, I've had crazy mixed up feelings for you for so long. I'm not sure exactly what they mean, but I do know that what I feel for Hook isn't even a fraction of how strongly I feel about you. Giving in to him was a huge mistake, but I was scared of being alone." She met Regina's gaze squarely. "I've come to realize that I'd rather be whatever you'll allow me to be, than pretend with him. I thought I could force it, but I find myself resenting everything about him the longer we're together."

Regina turned so that she was facing the wall instead of Emma's earnest face as she considered everything the younger woman had shared. Her heartbeat was a little erratic, and she tried to ignore the small flame of hope that had flared in her chest.

"Regina?" Emma's voice was small as she tried to read the stiff body language since she couldn't see the brunette's face.

"This is a lot to consider, Emma. If you truly mean what you say..." Her words trailed off as she inhaled deeply. "I think I would be very happy."

"Yeah?" There was a tinge of hopeful excitement in Emma's voice, and a tingle traveled down Regina's spine at the sound.

"Yes. Before I consider anything you've said more seriously, you need to get your personal affairs in order, dear." She was still facing the wall, not wanting to see how the blonde felt about her ultimatum. A large part of her was still afraid that Emma would fall back to the easier choices. Becoming involved with the former Evil Queen would be a daunting endeavor for anyone.

She couldn't help but think of Robin. They'd only been seeing each other a very short time before he'd been reunited with Marian, but Regina had still been hurt. She hadn't loved him, not yet, but she'd still opened herself up in a way she hadn't in a very, very long time. The ache that lingered was for the loss of yet another potential happy ending before it had really had a chance.

Even now, a part of her couldn't help but worry if this wouldn't be a mistake. Could things even truly work between the Savior and the Evil Queen? Could she survive more heartache?

The largest problem she faced was that she didn't care about the answers to those questions. Despite the bitter taste of past experiences, she couldn't help but yearn for that _chance_ at happiness. She would just have to be more careful than she had been with Robin. She'd let Snow's words and the lingering concern of dying get to her head.

The bed shifted as Emma moved, and long arms wrapped around Regina from behind a moment later. "I'll take care of everything. No matter what you decide we can be, we're already family. As long as I have you and Henry, I'm happy."

The warmth in her chest bloomed further at Emma's words. "I hope so."

* * *

><p>Emma had left soon after their conversation, despite the fact that she still had a massive headache and felt a little sick. Regina hadn't allowed any sort of physical contact besides a hug, and though Emma didn't like it, she understood it.<p>

She couldn't blame the woman for being cautious given their own personal track records. Emma was determined to show everyone that this was important; Regina was important.

So, despite her personal discomfort, she found herself at the bed and breakfast knocking on Killian's door an hour later. She'd stopped at her own room first to shower and change, and she'd managed a quick call to Henry to check and see how he was doing with his grandparents.

The sound of booted feet thudding softly against the floor had her focusing again on the door. The door was jerked open without preamble to reveal a shirtless Hook. He scowled at her for a moment, before a smirk grew in its place.

"I see you've come back where you belong, Swan. I'm not surprised." He leaned against the open doorjamb, one arm above his head as he leered at his girlfriend.

Emma grimaced at the heavy smell of rum and old leather, and she pushed him back with one hand as he drew closer to her face. "Let's talk inside Killian."

He eyed her for a moment, the smirk still on his face. "Sure, Swan. Let's...talk." It was clear to her that he had a different idea about what was about to happen, and a small part of her couldn't help but be happy to show that arrogant side of him how wrong he was.

Killian stepped backwards, swooping his arm in a parody of chivalry to indicate she should enter.

Emma stepped inside easily, and just barely managed to avoid rolling her eyes. She was quick to seat herself in one of the only chairs in the room, picking the one furthest from the bed.

The pirate's smirk never faltered as he took in her choice of seat. He closed the door and walked over to the bed with a swagger, choosing to sit on the bed facing the blonde.

"Let's have it then, Emma." Hook sounded bored as he waited for her to speak.

A sigh escaped Emma as she took in his position on the bed. She really hated talks like this, and wasn't sure how to phrase things. "I'm breaking things off with you."

Killian didn't move, still eyeing her lazily. "Sure you are, Swan."

"I'm serious Killian."

A loud, incredulous guffaw sounded in the room. "Come off it Swan, we're past these games. You chose me."

"See, no, that's where you're wrong. I chose to be with you because it was _easy_. Not because I feel something deep. You knew that, I made it perfectly clear. You were fun for a while, but this," her hand gestured between the two of them, "was never going to work out for the long term."

"I know you love me, Emma."

She blew out a breath in exasperation, "You know I thought in the beginning you were delusional, but this is something else. How can you ignore everything that happened last night?"

"I'm not ignoring it. I know you just wanted my attention. You got it. I know you don't have real feelings for the Evil Queen; not like you do for me." Emma would have laughed at his arrogance if he didn't seem to truly and completely believe everything he was saying.

"Killian, I love Regina."

That made him sit up, back straight and stiff. She'd never told him she loved him, despite all his coaxing. "That's a cruel thing to say to try and make me jealous Swan."

Emma shook her head, a sad smile touching on her face. "I'm not trying to make you jealous Hook. I love her. I have for a while now. Things became clear for me the day Pan's curse was cast."

Killian flopped backwards onto the bed, a tired groan escaping him on impact. "How can I compete with that? She gave you Henry and normalcy."

Emma tilted her head at the words. "You know, that's something you never understood Killian. She didn't do it because she was trying to _win_ me. She did it to make me happy. As far as she knew, she would never see me or Henry again."

The room was quiet for a while, Emma allowing Hook time to process everything.

He sat up suddenly, giving her a determined look. "I'm not giving up on you, Swan."

She groaned loudly, "It's not going to happen. We're over, and...I'm going to try and become a permanent part of Regina's life."

There was an odd glint in the pirate's eye as he reiterated his previous words. "Not giving up."

Emma shrugged, not willing to deal with his pigheadedness any longer. "I've already explained what I came to explain. I'm going to make it clear to everyone that you and I are over – if that wasn't already clear enough last night."

Killian opened his mouth to speak, but Emma was up and out of her chair and at the door before he could utter a syllable.

"Goodbye, Hook."

* * *

><p>The next few days passed in a blur of activity. Emma had been looking for a more permanent place to live instead of the B&amp;B. She'd rejected an offer from her parents to live with them, but had been growing frustrated at her lack of options.<p>

Casually one morning Regina had quietly sauntered over to her table and laid out a sheet of paper with a list of addresses. "These should all be within your price range Miss Swan," she'd uttered evenly before walking away again.

Emma had been thrilled at the gesture, and later that evening had signed a lease agreement for one of the houses. It was a cozy place with more than enough room for her and Henry. It didn't hurt that the one she'd chosen was only a two minute walk to a certain house on Mifflin, either.

She smiled to herself as she settled down in her sparsely decorated living room. Henry was tuckered out from helping with the move all day, and had long ago gone up to his new room. They'd hammered out an informal custody arrangement with Henry, and the proximity of their homes made the agreement very easy.

Regina had limited their contact since Emma's hungover confession, but Emma didn't take it personally. A lot had happened recently, and she was sure that Regina wasn't ready to take the kind of risk Emma had alluded to.

In Regina's place, she'd be cautious as well. It was frustrating, but she understood. She gnawed at her lip as she considered her options. The brunette probably wouldn't appreciate a late night visit, but Emma wanted to at least hear the familiar velvety voice.

Decision made, she grabbed her cell phone and hit one on her speed dial. Emma snorted when she realized that had been set up almost immediately after her return to Storybrooke.

"Emma? Is it Henry?" The sleep-husked tones made Emma's eyes dart to the clock, and she winced when she realized it was a little after one.

She cleared her throat, "No, sorry I didn't realize how late it was. I didn't meant to wake you, I'll call you back tomorrow."

"Em—" Regina's voice halted as she realized the call had been abruptly ended, and she eyed her phone with some confusion. A sigh escaped her as she settled onto her back, mobile device still in one hand. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before coming to a decision.

The time apart from Emma had been hard, though all she really wanted was to jump right in to whatever the blonde had been offering. She never knew how taxing it would be to stay away. She hadn't had problems keeping her feelings at bay since she'd first realized them shortly after the first curse had been broken, but now that she knew there was a real chance with Emma it had become nearly impossible.

Regina sat up from bed, setting her phone down carefully on the nightstand. She retrieved her robe from the foot of the bed and hastily pulled it around her, neatly tying the belt to secure it into place.

She hesitated for only a brief moment before she disappeared in a familiar plume of violet smoke.

The knock to the door was soft, but clear. Emma's pulse accelerated as she considered who it could be. She made it to the entranceway in a few easy strides, her breath caught in her throat as she opened the door.

She was greeted with a shy smile. Regina looked sleepy, her hair slightly mussed from her interrupted rest.

Emma thought she looked beautiful. A large grin encompassed her face at the sight, and she stepped back quickly to invite Regina in.

Regina ducked in quickly, the chill in the air easily seeping through the thin layers of her pajamas and robe.

The door was closed as soon as she was inside, and they shuffled nervously in the small entryway.

"Hey," Emma was first to speak, her excitement tempered by the unusual shyness Regina was displaying.

Regina bit her lip. "Hey."

Emma tucked her hands into her back pockets, rocking back on her heels. She cleared her throat awkwardly, "Sorry, again, for waking you up."

The dark haired head shook, "No, it's alright. I like hearing from you."

The blonde shifted from foot to foot before hesitantly grasping one of Regina's hands. She tugged softly to lead her over to the sole furniture in the living room; a cozy loveseat her mother had picked out as a surprise. It was a little ugly, but sinfully comfortable.

Regina eyed the flower print with distaste, but was pleasantly surprised by the comfort. She adjusted her position a little, noting with a small blush that Emma hadn't released her hand.

Neither woman commented on the contact, though both enjoyed it.

"Was there something specific you were calling me about Emma?" Her thumb was tracing idle patterns against pale skin as she spoke, and it took Emma a few moments for the words to register.

"Hm? No, not really. I just wanted to hear your voice. We haven't really seen each other much recently." Her green eyes roamed the space around them. "I should thank you for finding this place though, it's perfect."

Regina's smile was warm as she took in the living space. "I thought so too, but I didn't want to pressure you into picking it so I was sure to provide as many viable alternatives as I could."

Emma felt content at the admission, more sure than ever that the choices she'd recently made were the right ones.

They sat in silence for a while, and it was as Regina worried that she was going to fall asleep that Emma spoke again.

"I'd very much like to take you out on a date, Regina."

She blinked hard at the words, inexplicably feeling much more awake. "Oh?" she swallowed hard. "Is that so?"

Emma scooted closer, her eyes closely examining the well-proportioned features. "Yes, if that's alright with you?"

A lightly tanned hand reached up to tuck onyx locks behind an ear, and Regina found herself nodding. "I think I would be amenable to such an evening."

The smile she was graced with inspired a slew of intoxicating feelings, and when Emma tugged her closer, she didn't fight the movement.

They curled together on the couch snugly, Regina's head tucked comfortably into the crook of Emma's neck.

"Emma, if we don't move soon I'm going to fall asleep like this," Regina's words were sluggish as she fought to remain awake.

"Good," came the congenial and equally sleepy response.

Regina smiled and let her eyes drift shut. Her last thought before sleep claimed her set the tone for her dreams.

_This just might work_.


End file.
